Wings for Autism Event Helps Kids with Autism Fly

More than 400 people turned out for Jet Blue’s second Wings for Autism event at their Boston station this past Saturday. For many families, this was the first time they stepped inside an airport, let alone onboard a plane (which meant 10 years for some people)

The idea behind Wings for Autism was to create a safe environment for families to take on the challenges of traveling with an autistic child and be surrounded by those in similar situations. By practicing the airport and flight experience (without actually leaving the airport!), both parents and their children with special needs can gain the familiarity and confidence needed to fly for real when the time comes. Families, alongside our crewmembers, practiced:

The check-in process

TSA screening

Boarding

Preparing for take-off

Deplaning

The families also received a safety briefing and toured the flight deck with one of our captains and first officers!